Best Soundbars 2023
For the effective spread of sound in your home, it is necessary you get a soundbar. This is why we have decided to show to you the best soundbars to choose from. If you’re interested in finding out, then you should read through this guide keenly.
What’s a sound bar?
A sound bar is a long, thin rectangular-shaped bar filled with speakers and a lot of technical wizardries. A good sound bar does for the spoken word what a good pair of glasses does for making things crystal clear. The result: voices come through crisp and distinct — and so much so, even whispered dialogue can be heard clearly. (No more turning on subtitles or raising the volume to hear what’s being said.) And since sound bars are wider than sound bases, they throw sound further afield (left and right) and to a degree (albeit a very small degree) get closer to a real home theater effect.
Buyer’s guide for soundbars
Price:
The quickest way to narrow your choice is to set a budget limit because soundbars are available in numerous price brackets. Budget models are usually smaller and less powerful – probably stereo only – and have fewer connections and features. However, you will need to spend more if you want better sound quality, more speakers, and extra features. Giving yourself a strict limit on cost will quickly narrow down your choices.
Active or Passive:
Active soundbars are the most common and don’t require a separate amplifier – just plug it straight into your TV. A passive soundbar requires a separate amplifier but may offer better sound quality. If in doubt, get an active soundbar, which will be the vast majority you come across anyway.
Number of Speakers:
Do you want a simple stereo soundbar to improve the sound of your TV – or do you want a higher-end solution with a built-in center speaker or Dolby Atmos up-firing speakers? A model with a wireless subwoofer will give more bass and make watching movies more exciting, and separate surround speakers will give a more immersive sound.
Size:
As a general rule, buy a soundbar that roughly matches the width of your TV – but it doesn’t need to be exact, so don’t overthink this. Larger soundbars usually have more power and larger speakers, meaning they will work better in a big room or if you sit further away from the TV. A simple stereo soundbar should be sufficient if you just want better sound than your TV speakers.
Connections:
How do you get the sound from your TV into the soundbar? Many soundbars use either optical or HDMI ARC connections, so make sure your TV has this connection type. But maybe you want a soundbar with extra inputs for connecting other devices like your Blu-ray player, game console, or cable TV box? If a soundbar has few inputs, you could connect devices directly to your TV and send the audio to your soundbar via HDMI ARC. But your TV and soundbar need to support this. Also, consider a Bluetooth connection to send audio from your mobile device into the soundbar.
Streaming Services:
Some soundbar systems will have apps to control the device and connect to streaming services. So, do you want services like Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Deezer, and Amazon Music? If so, you’ll need to make sure your soundbar supports this, or you’ll have to try and stream these from your phone or tablet, which can be more complicated.
Remote & Voice Control:
Soundbars usually have a dedicated remote control for operating the soundbar from your seat, and some remotes can also control your TV. If you use HDMI ARC, you may be able to control the soundbar from your TV’s remote – or some models have an app you can download to your mobile device. Others support voice control systems like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.
| NAMES | SPECIFICATIONS | WHERE TO BUY |
Samsung HW-Q930B
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Sony HT-G400
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Sonos Arc
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Sonos Ray
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Devialet Dione
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Yamaha YAS-209
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Vizio P-Series Elevate
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
LG S95QR 9.1.5 Channel Soundbar
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Klipsch Cinema 600
|
|
GET ON AMAZON |
Best Soundbars
Samsung HW-Q930B
This soundbar from Samsung with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding delivers extremely impressive and immersive audio in movies and TV shows.
The HDMI loop-through supports the HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats as well as 4K resolution at frame rates of up to 60Hz. There’s no support for the 4K/120Hz or variable refresh rate (VRR) features now delivered by the PS5, Xbox Series X, or highish-end PCs, but the same is true of almost all other current soundbars too. The soundbar also supports Q Symphony in compatible Samsung TVs, intelligently pairing its speakers with those of the TV to provide a bigger soundstage.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Sony HT-G400
The Sony HT-G400 hits an excellent sweet spot for features, price, and the scale of its sound. It’s a soundbar and wireless subwoofer combo, and the soundbar is a good size for TVs of 48 inches and up.
It supports both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X elite surround sound formats (which is not something guaranteed in even more high-end soundbars), and Sony uses its excellent sound processing and acoustic wizardry to create a real wall of sound that stretches way beyond the limits of your TV screen, but with convincing positioning and direction of specific sounds. It might not be quite as good as the Sonos, but it’s definitely up there.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Sonos Arc
Sonos has managed to cram an entire surround sound solution into its Arc soundbar. It isn’t cheap, but if you’re already a fan of Sonos then we think you’re going to love the way this soundbar delivers really impressive surround sound.
The Sonos Arc draws on Dolby’s latest TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus sound codecs to deliver the best quality lossless audio found on cutting-edge Blu-ray disks and some of the leading streaming services. It then enhances the 3D soundscape using Dolby Atmos object tracks to bounce certain sounds off the walls around you so they feel like they’re coming at you from all angles.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Sonos Ray
Sonos impresses at the cheaper end as well as the higher end, with the Ray – its smallest and least-expensive soundbar. The sound is an immediate and clear upgrade for the older or cheaper TVs that it’s aimed at. It even delivers a good amount of bass for impactful explosions in action movies. Compared to built-in speakers of the 32- to 50-inch TVs it’s aimed at, there’s no competition; it’s a huge improvement.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Devialet Dione
Devialet’s Dione soundbar manages to bring a little of the high-end company’s customary design drama to the world of do-it-all, add-on TV speakers. In keeping with much of its luxury output, the Dione is properly expensive, strikingly stylish, and a full-on 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos affair, designed to deliver a surround-sound experience from a single unit.
Given a full-on, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtrack to deal with, the Dione is a dynamic, expansive, and quite nuanced listen. For a soundbar that goes without the low-frequency reinforcement of a partnering subwoofer, the straightforward amount of bass it’s able to produce really is quite remarkable. ‘Punch’ and ‘rumble’ are both available and are of an order of magnitude that eludes all but the most accomplished of the Devialet’s rivals.
| PROS | CONS |
|
expensive |
|
|
|
Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3
The Panorama 3 is Bowers & Wilkins’ most affordable soundbar to date. It’s more costly than the Sonos Arc but if it’s the sound quality you prize, the Panorama 3 is worth every penny. The 3.1.2 speaker configuration integrates forward-firing left, right, and center channels, and for cinematic rumble and punch there are two built-in subwoofer drivers along with Dolby Atmos Elevation drive units.
Powered by a total of 400 watts of Class D amplification, means the Panorama 3 can deal with those big dynamic shifts so beloved of cinema the world over without breaking a sweat and is expressive and articulate where music is concerned too. It’s extremely well-judged and coherent with all kinds of music and movie content, while Dolby Atmos content projects well beyond the confines of the speaker cabinet, and in all directions.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Yamaha YAS-209
This excellent package comes with a wireless subwoofer to boost low-end frequencies and has Alexa integration onboard. The smart and versatile combo brings movie soundtracks to life with a rich and powerful sound and has an impressively wide soundstage when 3D Surround mode is enabled. A movie dialog is easy to understand and has excellent depth and gravitas, and the Yamaha doubles as a great-sounding music system, too.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Vizio P-Series Elevate
Vizio appears several times on this list, and for good reason. The company has a huge (though sometimes confusing) array of soundbars at a variety of prices for every budget and room size. The P-Series Elevate is the company’s flagship and it deserves serious consideration by anyone who wants an elegantly designed and powerful sound system for their TV.
The Elevate’s signature feature is its rotating speaker modules. They sit at the ends of the soundbar and rotate from front-firing to up-firing whenever Dolby Atmos or DTS:X content is being played.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LG S95QR 9.1.5 Channel Soundbar
LG’s S95QR proves its value by being the closest thing you can get to a full-fledged home theater system in a soundbar.
Its secret is its massive number of speakers and supported channels. The main soundbar alone is an 8-channel monster, complete with three up-firing drivers. But then add in the wireless subwoofer, and the two wireless surround speakers (each with its own up-firing driver and two full-range angled drivers), and you’re now up to a 9.1.5-channel system and you will, quite literally, be surrounded by sound.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Klipsch Cinema 600
The Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbar delivers theater-like rumble and excellent clarity for movies and music at a relatively affordable price. This 3.1-channel system isn’t Atmos-compatible, but you can expand it into a 5.1 setup with optional satellites.
| PROS | CONS |
|
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
In conclusion, soundbars are a must-have in your home. When you want to get one, you should note that soundbars have different features, so you need to be sure that the features you want are in the soundbars you intend to buy.
